Fan favorite runner-up of last year’s inaugural season of “The Voice” brought the only thing that mattered to a sold-out March 15 crowd at Sacramento’s Power Balance Pavilion – her pipes.
The 26-year-old Dia Frampton performed a six-song opening set for headliner Blake Shelton whose country swagger helped lure country fans from as far as San Jose to the pavilion for an entertaining evening that was both “Well Lit and Well Amplified” (this according to what was printed on my ticket).
Frampton, the former half of the accomplished band aptly named Meg & Dia, left her sister (Meg) for her turn to be in the “well lit” spotlight to fill the pavilion with her powerfully seductive voice.
Shelton, Frampton’s vocal coach on “The Voice” during the first run of the popular singing competition, brought a country swagger befitting of his title as the reigning 2011 Country Music Association “Artist of the Year.”
Shelton brought Frampton along for the tour, giving both the reality television show and its runner-up an authentic sense of cohesiveness.
Setting “The Voice” aside, Frampton’s enthused performance immediately vaulted her into the ranks of such artists as Colbie Caillat, Alyssa Graham and Sara Bareilles.
Frampton’s brief set was performed in front of a largely cordial crowd who were apparently saving their “hoots” and “hollers” for a certain country mega-star’s appearance.
Frampton performed songs off her of her debut album “Red” that was released late last year. The vocal prowess demonstrated on her second song of the evening, “Isabella,” could be felt by everyone from the front row to those waiting in line to purchase some of the delicious food offered in the pavilion’s concourse.
With “Trapeze,” Frampton wistfully danced about the stage ignoring the audience’s indifference to her perceived role as “Coach Blake’s” stage warmer for the evening.
The sole cover tackled by Frampton was Tom Petty’s “American Girl” which she nailed – hammering a tambourine as her guitarist Carlos played the track’s guitar licks.
Seated behind a grand piano, Frampton supplemented her current single “The Broken Ones” by exhibiting her musicianship by navigating the ivory keys as she sang her ode to providing solace to broken hearts.
Frampton, who would later return to sing a duet with Shelton, is clearly the malleable talent that Americans were exposed to during season one of “The Voice.”
She’s cute, sprightly and talented. She may be a reality television star; however don’t discount that which consumed the Power Balance Pavilion for 25 minutes – her voice.
Dia Frampton
Stand-out songs: “Isabella,” “American Girl” and “I Will.”
My final verdict: Loved it? Loathed it? Missed the Mark? – Loved it!
Fellow critic Jessica Lentz and I met many ARC students that night and we want to know if we’re on target or not. It’s all up to you to let me know whether my critique “Misses the Mark.” Send us your feedback to [email protected] or follow me on Twitter @kingmlew – We want to hear from you. Also to read an exclusive interview with Dia Frampton, copy and paste the link https://www.arcurrent.com/missed-the-mark/2012/03/26/the-voices-dia-frampton-speaks-exclusively-to-arcurrent-com/ to discover what advice would give to Lindsey Pavao – the Sacramento-native currently tearing up the second season of “The Voice” airing weekly on NBC.
